Voting machine



Sept. 20, 1960 R. F. sHoUP 2,953,296

VOTING MACHINE Filed Oct. '7, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 T'OKNEK el hm Il"All ...|57

Sept. 20, 1960 R. F. sHoUP 2,953,296

VOTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 ea-A INVENTOR.

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Sept. 20, 1960 R. F. sHoUP 2,953,296

VOTING MACHINE Filed Oct. '7, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Arme/vm Sept. 20,1960 R. F. sHouP 2,953,296

VOTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States PatentO VOTING MACHINE Ransom F. Shoup, Bryn Mawr, Pa., assignor to The ShoupVoting Machine Corporation, New York, N .Y., a ycorporation of New YorkFiled Oct. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 688,770

7 Claims. (Cl. 23S-55) Voting machines of the type shown, for example,in Shoup Patent No. 2,054,103, of September 15, 1936; Shoup Patent No.2,329,005 of September 7, 1943, and Shoup Patent No. 2,541,553, ofFebruary 13, 1951, include a number of mechanically operated votingspindles which record a vote cast for one candidate or another. But,because the voters may Wish to vote for candidates to whom nomechanically operated voting spindles are assigned, the machinesreferred to also included a mechanism which enabled voters to write thesaines of candidates on a paper ballot. This mechanism is known as theperson choice column, and is located adjacent to, and is tied in with,the main interlock, so that, when a voter elects to cast a vote bywriting the name of a candidate on the paper ballot, he could not alsooperate the mechanical voting spindle assigned to another candidaterunning for the same oliice. This meant that whenever a personal choicevote was cast, all of the pull straps in that particular section of theinterlock were immobilized and, consequently, all the voting spindlesconnected to said straps were locked. While this arrangement gave themachine some flexibility, it also limited the voting capacity of themachine. When the offices to be filled, or questions to be voted on, orcandidates running, were relatively few, this limitation of the votingcapacity did not present any problems. But, because of the increase inthe number of oiices for which candidates are to be elected, and theincrease in the number of candidates who run independently of any major,recognized political party, and the increase in the number of questionsto be voted on, the machines above referred to are no longer adequate.Nor is it feasible further t increase the number of candidates, orquestions, which can be voted on by increasing the number of votingspindles or voting columns. This is due to the `fact that the votingmachines are already about as large and as heavy as it is practical tomake them, and because it is necessary that the average voter be ableconveniently to reach the uppermost and the lowermost voting keys.

It is therefore one object of my invention to increase the number ofcandidates, or questions, which can be voted on by the voting machinewithout increasing the number of voting spindles, or voting columnsWithout increasing the length of the interlock, and without increasingthe overall dimensions or the cost of the machine.

Since the requirements in different voting districts vary, and since therequirements in the same district also may vary from time to time, it isnot feasible to equip all voting machines with all of the parts requiredto adapt the machines for all conceivable requirements. To do so willincrease the weight of the machine and make it more ditlicult to handle,and it will increase the cost of the machine to voting districts whoserequirements are satisfactorily met by the number of voting columnsfound in voting machines of the type now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for increasing theversatility of the machine so as to make lCC it readily adaptable to therequirements of various districts and to the laws of various states.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a standard machinewhich is completely assembled and ready for use under standardconditions, but which can be readily adapted to the increasedrequirements of particular voting districts by the mere addition ofparts and with negligible adjustment of other parts.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a voting machineto which the parts needed to adapt it to particular requirements can beeasily `and quickly added on the job or at the place where the machineis to be used, and after the local requirements have been ascertained.This means that a machine having a standard number of voting spindles,or voting columns can be shipped without the weight of the parts whichmay be needed in one voting district, but not in another votingdistrict, and it means that a machine purchased by Aa given votingdistrict can later on be provided with auxiliary interlocks as electionrequirements in said district increase, by merely installing the neededparts and making the necessary adjustments.

Also, in the machines disclosed in the above mentioned Shoup patents,t'ne surface of the personal choice column, and of the paper ballotsupported thereby, constituted an extension of the front of the machine,that is to say, the surface of the paper on which the voter had towrite, was in the same plane as the surface of the machine which carriedthe voting keys, and the outer edge of the personal choice column formeda substantially right angle with the side wall of the machine. Due tothe small width of the personal choice column, and due to its rightangular relation to the adjacent side of the machine, the surface of theballot on which the voter had to write could not be readily andcomfortably reached.

It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to produce animproved arrangement whereby the surface of the ballot on which thevoter must write is so disposed Ias to form an obtuse angle with thefront of the machine and with the adjacent side wall of the machine,whereby said surface can be readily and comfortably reached.

These and other objects are attained by my invention as set forth in the`following specification and as illustrated in the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary and highly diagrammatic front elevational viewof a Voting machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar, rear elevational View of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary View partly in top plan and partly inhorizontal section, looking in the direction of line 3-3 on Fig. l andshowing details of the personal choice operating mechanism shown at theleft hand end of the voting machine as viewed in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3, but looking in the direction of line '4 4on Fig. 1 and showing details of the personal choice mechanism shown atthe right hand of the machine as viewed in Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, elevational View looking in the direction ofline 5-5 on Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, showing details of the structure ofthe operating mechanism shown Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, Vertical, sectional view, showing a portion ofone form of interlock, which can be used in carrying out my invention,and showing the positions of the parts before any vote has been cast.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 8-8 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view looking in thedirection of line 9-9 on Fig. 7.

perspective View personal choice at the left hand portion of Fig. 10 isa view of a portion of Fig. 7 showing the position of the parts afterone vote has been cast and the manner in which this prevents theoperation of all of the other voting spindles which are operativelyconnected to this portion of the interlock which is shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 1l is a highly fragmentary and diagrammatic side elevational viewof a separable pull strap which is used in carrying out the invention.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 12-12 onFig. 7.

The structure and operation of the interlock, as such, form no part ofthe present invention and are fully disclosed in the above mentioned,and in other, Shoup patents. But, because the structure of the interlockillustrated in describing the invention is slightly different from thestructures of the interlocks shown in the prior Shoup patents, and inorder to obviate, or to minimize, reference to prior patents, thestructure `and operation of the present interlock are illustrated anddescribed to the extent necessary for proper understanding of thepresent invention.

In the following specification, only so much of the voting machine willbe described as is necessary for a proper understanding of the subjectmatter of the present invention and the drawings, in so far as theyrelate to the parts of the machine which form no part of the presentinvention, are fragmentary and diagrammatic.

As best shown in Figs. 7 to l2, the interlock used inl connection withthe present invention includes a vertical channel `14 which is dividedby xed horizontal pins 16 and 18 into a series of superimposed sections,each of which is adapted to accommodate a number of spacer blocks 20,21, 22 and 23, which, as shown in Fig. 12, rest, one on top of theother, and the undersides of which are provided with recesses 24, whichmovably accommodate the Shanks of pull straps 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29. Inprior practice7 each machine of this type has ten vertical columns ofmechanically operated voting spindles and a vertical column of personalchoice, or manually operable voting spindles, and each section of theinterlock, such as the section defined by pins 16 and 18, has thedesired number pull straps, one going to each of the voting columns. Inother words, in this regard, the drawings are illustrative, notdescriptive.

Pull straps 25 to 29 are of the separable or corne- Vapart type, thestructure of which is fully disclosed in Shoup Patent No. 2,520,740.Again, in order to make reference to this patent unnecessary, thestructure of the separable pull straps is described to the extentnecessary for proper understanding of the present invention. As shown inFig. l1, each pull strap includes a shank 30, the left hand end `ofwhich, as viewed in Figs. 7 and l1, is operatively connected to a votingkey K, which operates one of the voting spindles S, and the other end ofwhich is detachably secured at 31 to another shank 32, the right handend of which terminates in an enlarged wedge 34. Shanks 30 and 32 ofFig. l1 correspond to Shanks 6l (a) and 6l(b), respectively, of Fig. 2of Shoup Patent No. 2,520,740, and may be dettachably secured in themanner shown in said patent or in any other desired manner.

It will be seen from Figs. 7 to l2 that the center portions of pins 16and 18 are reduced, as at 36, so as to accommodate the shank oflowermost straps 29, that there is a recess R in the upper edge of eachspacer block to accommodate the shank `of a strap and the thickness ofone wedge 34 of one strap. Therefore, when the voting key whichcorresponds to a strap, such, for example, as strap 26, is turned tocast a vote, pull strap 26 will be moved to the position of Fig. l inwhich its wedge 34 will be positioned between blocks 20 and 21 and willraise uppermost block 20 and the shank of strap 25 thereabove intoengagement with the enlarged portion of upper pin 16 as shown at the topof Fig. l0. In this position, wedge 34 of strap 26 takes up all of thepreviously available space or play between the shank of strap 25immediately thereabove and pin 16. In other words, if a strap in anyinterlock section is moved to the position of strap 26 in Fig. l0, theplay in this section of the interlock will be taken up and, therefore,no other strap in this section of the interlock can be moved from theposition of Fig. 7 to the position of Fig. l0. Since the Shanks 30 ofthe pull straps in this section of the interlock are connected tocorresponding voting keys which operate the voting spindles in thevarious voting columns, it follows that all such keys and votingspindles will be immobilized. For example, if ive candidates are runningfor the ohce of Sheriff, and if these candidates are represented by pullstraps 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, a vote cast for any one of thesecandidates by moving pull strap 26 in the manner above described, willimmobilize all of the remaining pull straps in this section of theinterlock. This is true whether the voter casts his vote by turning oneof the voting keys or whether the voter uses the personal choice columnas disclosed in my above mentioned patents. This immobilizing of nineout of ten pull straps and their corresponding voting spindles seriouslylimited the number of candidates, or questions, which can be voted on bythe machine.

As above stated, the increase in the number of offices and the differentand changing requirements of different voting districts render machinesof the type referred to inadequate except for elections where the numberof offices to be filled and the number of questions to be voted on,etc., yare limited. The trend, however, is in the opposite direction,and, in order to meet the increasing requirements, the capacity andadaptability of the machine must be greatly increased. In order to doso, I provide the structure which is best illustrated in Figs. 3

and 4A In Fig. 3 there is shown the front 40 of the machine on which arelocated the voting keys K which are carried by spindles S which, whenturned about their axes, operate vote counters C which form no part ofthe invention and are therefore not described. Behind the left hand endof the machine, as viewed in Fig. l (the righ-t hand end as viewed inFig. 3) is the main interlock 42 which corresponds to the interlockshown in Figs. 7 and 8 of Shoup Patent No. 2,054,103, albeit theinterlock shown in Figs. 7 to 10 of the present invention uses spacerblocks 20, 21, 23, etc., instead of rollers 3l of Figs. 7 and 8 of saidpatent. Also shown in Fig. 3 of the present application is a Write-in,or personal choice, column 44 which corresponds to the personal choicecolumn shown at the left hand portion of Fig. l of Shoup Patent No.2,054,103. Again, in order to make reference to this, or to Other Shouppatent unnecessary, it is pointed out that this personal choice columnincludes a series of vertically spaced slots 46, each of which isVcovered by a slide shutter 48. Each slide shutter 48 is connected bysuitable links 50 and 51 to the personal choice pull strap 26A by ashort pin which is not shown in the drawings herein, but which is thesame as pin l6la in Fig. 9 of Shoup Patent No. 2,498,380 of February 2l,1950. The connection of slide shutter 48 to pull strap 26A is such that,when the slide is moved to expose the paper ballot, pull strap 26A ismoved to the left in Fig. 3, or to the position of pull strap 26 in Fig.10, and consequently, all straps in that particular portion of `theinterlock and the voting keys connected thereto are immobilized thuslimiting the number of candidates, or questions, that can be voted on atone time.

In order to overcome this diculty, I first provide an auxiliaryinterlock 54 which is constructed like that portion of main interlock 42which is shown between pins I6 and -18 in Fig. 7 and which should beassumed to contain the required number of pull straps and spacer blocks.It also must be assumed that the Shanks of the pull straps in auxiliaryinterlock 54 are connected to the same voting spindles `to which pullstraps 25 to 29 of Fig. 7, in interlock 42 are connected. I next removethe short pin above referred to and which, in conventional machines,connected pull str-ap 26A to link 51 to disconnect .the personal choiceshutter 48 from the corresponding pull strap in main interlock 42 and,in place of the discarded short pin, I use pin 56 which is long enoughto connect link 51 to slide bar 58 to which is connected a pull strap26B which is similar to pull strap 26A. By this arrangement, when slideshutter 48 is moved to the left in Fig. 3 to uncover the paper ballot60, slide bar 58 is also moved to the left, and since pull strap 26B issecured to bar 58, pull strap 26B Will be moved to the left in Fig. 3,or to a position which corresponds to the position of pull strap 26 inFig. 10. Therefore, only the other pull straps in auxiliary interlock54, will be immobilized and the voting spindles to which these pullstraps are connected will be locked.

In order that a voter who does not wish to use the personal choice, orwrite in, column 44 may still be able to vote mechanically by turningthe appropriate key, the corresponding mechanically operable spindlesare also provided with pull straps 62 ywhich are similar to the pullstraps of Figs. 7 and l0 of interlock 42, but the wedges of which arelocated in the auxiliary interlock 54. By this means, a voter can ignorethe personal choice mechanism and can vote mechanically by turning theappropriate key. It will be understood that, when a particular strap 62is moved to the left in Fig. 3, all of the pull straps in auxiliaryinterlock 54 will be immobilized in the manner, and for the purpose setforth in connection with Fig. 7.

Since personal choice shutter 14 is noW disconnected from pull strap 26Ain main interlock 42, it follows that this particular interlock sectionis now free and available for use in connection with the voting keys ofsome other voting column. This can be done by connecting the interlocksection 42 to voting spindles in other columns in the manner shown inFig. 7. In other words the number of interlock sections and, hence, thenumber of candidates or questions to be voted on by the machine isincreased. In Fig. 2, I show only two auxiliary interlocks 54 and 64which may be connected to mechanical voting spindles or to theconventional personal choice mechanism 44 by means of pins 56 and slidebars 58. But it is to be understood that any number of such auxiliaryinterlocks can be used and suitably interconnected in the mannerdescribed thus increasing the number of available interlocks. Inaddition to increasing the numberof interlocks of the machine, thearrangement described also increases the iexability or adaptability ofthe voting machine by making it possible to provide for a wider use ofpersonal choice. For example, and assuming that each vertical votingcolumn of the voting machine has 50 voting spindles in each verticalcolumn, and assuming that the pull straps of the spindles are coniinedin a given number of interlock sections, it follows that, every time onevote is cast for one candidate in one column, all of the other pullstraps in the particular interlock section and their correspondingvoting spindles will be immobilized. By providing auxiliary interlocks54 and 64, etc., this limitation is removed and the capacity of themachine can be doubled.

In addition to increasing the capacity and versatility of the machine inthe manner thus far described, I further increase the versatility -andcapacity of the machine by providing an auxiliary personal choice column70 at the right hand end of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 1, and byproviding a number of auxiliary interlock sections for cooperatingtherewith. Due to the absence of a main interlock at this end of themachine, the structure and operation of the personal choice column 70are slightly different from the structure and operation of the auxiliaryinterlocks described in connection -with main interlock 42. Themechanism for operating the second personal choice column 70 is shown inFigs. 4, 5 and 6, from which it will be seen that column 70 includesslots 76 and slide shutters 78 which are the same as slots 46 and slidecovers 48 of Fig. 3.

In this construction each slide cover 78 carries a block 80 which isadapted to engage pin 82 which is carried by lever 84 which is pivotedto the frame of .the machine at 86. When slide 80 is moved to the right,or to the broken line position in Fig. 4 to expose the paper ballot,block 80 pushes pin 82 and moves it and lever 84 to the broken lineposition so as to move bar 88 also to the left or to the broken lineposition of Fig. 4. Bar 88 is connected, by pin 90, which corresponds topin 56 of Fig. 3, to a bar 92, which corresponds to bar 58 of Fig. 6.Bar 92 is connected, at 94, to strap 96, the wedge of which is placed inauxiliary interlock 98. Auxiliary interlock 98 should be assumed `tohave the structure shown in Fig. 7. Therefore, when bar 92 is moved tothe left, as shown in Fig. 4, pull strap 96 will be moved to theposition of pull strap 26 in Fig. 10 and will immobilize all of `theother straps in this interlock section so that, again, no more than onevote for one candidate for one olice can be cast before the machine isreset. In order to enable the voter to vote for a candidate by turningone of the voting keys instead of by writing the name of the candidateon the paper ballot, pull straps are also connected to the butterflycams on the corresponding voting spindles, so that when a voter turnsone of the keys mechanically to cast a vote for one of the candidates,the wedge of the corresponding pull strap 100 will be moved to theposition of pull strap 26 in Fig. l0 and will immobilize the remainingstraps in said auxiliary interlock. It will be noted that pin 82 isplaced in the path of the block 80 so as to be moved by it, but that pin80 is not in any way connected to the block so that, once block 80pushes pin 82 to the broken line position of Fig. 4 and thus operateslever 84 to move pull strap 96 to the position of Fig. l0 with referenceto its interlock 98, the voter may move slide cover 78 back to slotcovering position, but, since pin 82 is not in any way connected toblock 80, it will not move back with block 80 and lever 84 will remainin the broken line position of Fig. 4, and pull strap 96 will remain inthe position of Fig. l0. In other words, once a voter has moved a slidecover to expose the paper ballot, he cannot change his mind and proceedto vote by using one of the keys.

While I have described an yarrangement whereby a voter may cast a votefor only one of a number of candidates running for a given oliice, myinvention is equally applicable to elections in which the voter may votefor more than one candidate as, for example, when two or more councilmenhave to be elected from among three or more candidates contending forthe nomination. This can be done by increasing the length of theinterlock section, that is, the distance between pins 16 and 18 by thethickness of one, or two, or more, wedges as the case may require, sothat two, or more, pull straps can be moved before the pull strapsremaining in said section are immobilized. Again, in Fig. 2, I haveshown only two auxiliary interlocks 98 and 99 for cooperating withauxiliary personal choice column 70, but it will be understood that asmany additional interlock sections in the same, 0r in various verticalvoting columns, may be used, as desired. Also the bars 58 and 92, forexample, are preferably made long enough to reach across all, or acrossa major portion, of the width of the machine so that these bars may beused interchangeably regardless of whether the personal choice is to beexercised in a vertical column close to, or remote from, the one end ofthe machine or the other. See Fig. 2.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the addition of personal choicecolumn 70 and the auxiliary interlocks 98 and 99 will not increase theoverall dimensions of the machine and that, because the additionalauxiliary` interlocks and their adjuncts can be applied to a machine as,and when, they are required, the shipping and handling weight of themachine is not increased except by the Weight of the additional personalchoice column 70 which is best installed when the machine isl rstassembled, but -which may be added later on. Y

In conventional machines the effective surface of the personal choice,or Write-in, column 44 was `disposed in the plane of the effectivesurface 40 of the machine and it terminated at the right angle side wallof the machine. This made it inconvenient and uncomfortable for a Voterto write on the personal choice ballot and, if the Voter was lefthanded, he could not write on a left hand personal choice ballot at all.Voters are notoriously apathetic and it does not take much of anobstacle to produce total inaction. According to my invention thesurface of the personal choice ballot forms an obtuse angle With thefront surface 4t) of the machine and the edge 49 of the personal choicecolumn forms an obtuse angle with the adjacent side wall of the machinewhich is represented by broken line L in Fig. 3. This provides ampleroom for the clenched fist of the voter and makes the personal choicecolumn inviting instead of forbidding.

What I claim is:

1. A voting machine including a mechanically operable vote-castingmechanism, at least one side wall disposed in a plane substantiallynormal to the plane of the operative surface of said mechanism, and aWrite-in ballot on which a voter may write the name of a candidate, thesurface of said ballot on which the Voter must write being disposed in aplane which forms obtuse angles with the plane of said side wall andwith the plane of the operative surface of said mechanism.

2. The combination with a voting machine of the type Ywhich includesvoting spindles, a main interlock, pull straps connected to saidspindles and engaging said interlock, the structure of said pull strapsand said interlock being such that, movement of any of said straps invote-casting direction immobilizes the other straps in said interlockand the spindles connected thereto, a built-in, main personal choicemechanism including writein ballots7 movable slide shutters normallycovering said ballots, and means connecting selected pull straps toselected shutters whereby, movement of a shutter in a direction toexpose the corresponding ballot moves .the corresponding pull strap in`vote-casting direction and immobilizes the main interlock of anidentical auxiliary interlock attachable to the machine extraneously ofsaid main interlock, and means connecting the shutters of the personalchoice mechanism to the pull straps of the auxiliary interlock whereby`the personal choice mechanism can be used independentlyof, and withoutimmobilizing, the main interlock.

3. The Vstructure recited in claim 2 and a second auxiliary interlockattachable to said machine extraneously of said main and auxiliaryinterlocks, an auxiliary personal choice mechanism and auxiliary pullstraps connecting the shutters of said auxiliary personal choicemechanism to said auxiliary interlock.

4. The structure recited in claim 2 and locking means operable onmovement of a shutter to ballot-exposing position to prevent -returnmovement of said shutter.

5. The structure recited in claim 2 and means connecting the pull strapsof the auxiliary interlock to said spindles, whereby a vote may be `castmechanically by operating said spindles or by writing the names ofcandidates on the ballots 'of the personal Vchoice ballot, and lockingmeans operable upon movement of a shutter of the auxiliary personalchoice mechanism to a ballot exposing position to prevent returnmovement of said shutter.

6. The combination with a voting machine of the type which includesvoting spindles', a main interlock, pull straps connected to saidspindles and engaging said interlock, the structure of said pull strapsand said interlock being such that, movement of any of said straps invote-casting direction immobilizes the other straps in said interlockand the spindles connected thereto, a builtin, main personal choicemechanism including write-in ballots, movable slide shutters normallycovering said ballots, and means connecting selected'pull straps toselected shutters whereby movement of a shutter in a direction to exposethe corresponding ballot moves the corresponding pull strap invote-casting direction and immobilizes the main interlock, of anauxiliary personal choice mechanism which is identical with said mainpersonal choice column, means mounting said auxiliary personal choicemechanism adjacent said voting spindles, an auxiliary interlockidentical with the main interlock, means mounting said auxiliaryinterlock extraneously of said main interlock and auxiliary pull strapsconnected to the shutters of said auxiliary personal choice mechanismand engaging said auxiliary interlock.

7. The structure recited in claim 6 and means connecting said auxiliarystraps to said spindles whereby a personal choice vote can be cast byoperating a spindle, or by means of a write-in ballot withoutirnmobilizing any part of the main interlock.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,054,102 Shoup et al Sept. 15, 1936

